Water-gage.



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN MCCORMICK, OF WILMER-DING, PENNSYLVANIA.

- WATER-GAG E.. v

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters APatent No. 719,842, dated February 3, 1903. Application tiled May 15, 1902. Serial No. 107,493. (No model.)

To all la7/1,0711, it' may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN McCoRMIoK, of Wilmerding, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Water- Gages; and I do hereby declare the following tobeafnll, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to that class of Water-gages employing safety ball-valves automatically actuated upon the breaking of the glass gage-tube to prevent escape of steam and 1 Water from the boiler.

As heretofore constructed the steam and Water cocks between which the glass tube is arranged have been connected to the boiler by hollow extensions or inducts within which the balls have been placed and allowed to roll freely between their seats at the end of the extensions connected to the cock and a stop arranged at the end of the extension adjacent the boiler. The stems of the cocks have been seated against the ends of the hollow eXtensions opening into the casings of the cocksthat is, beneath the glass-and the blow-oni cock has been located at the bottom of such casing. Practice has demonstrated numerous defects and inconveniences in watergages as thus constructed. Sediment collects in the hollow extensions and retards the.

movement of the balls, frequently resulting in their becoming clogged at one end or the other'of the passage. It being a generallyrecognized fact that when the boiler is in operation and the glass intact the balls will not interfere with the passage of the steam and Water, attendants have been led to rely upon the gage implicitly as indicating the exact level of the water in the boiler. It has been p found that such indication is not always correct and serious results have followed, due to the fact that the sediment in the hollow eX- tensions has cloggedA the Vballs against the outlet. v

When it has been desired to employ the blow-off valve, the opening of. the same has caused the balls to seat themselves justas they are designed to do when the glass breaks, not only precluding the possibility of blowing o sufficiently, but leaving the sediment around the balls as it was before.

The object of my invention is to overcome these difficulties, and this end I attain by the construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing the figure is a longitudinal section` of a water-gage constructed in accordance with my invention.

Referring to the drawing, 1 designates two cocks connected by the usual glass gage 2. The cock-casings are interiorly threaded to receive the threaded portions of valve-stems 3, and on the outer ends of the latter are wheels or handles by which they are manipulated, suitable packingglands 4 being fitted over the ends of the casings. Each of the cocks has a hollow extension 5 connected with the boiler, thus establishing communication between the latter and the glass. In each extension 5, and preferably integral therewith, is a cup-shaped chamber 6, having a valveseat 7 at its inlet--that is, the opening leading to the boiler--and a seat 8 of greater cross-sectional area at the outlet-opening leading to the glass. Against seat 7 a valve 9 on the end of stem 3 is designed to be seated when it is desired to positively cut off communication with the boiler. At its top the chamberis provided with shoulders or olfsets 10, upon which rests a bar l2, from which is suspended a chain 13, having on its lower ,end a ball-valve 14. The chain is connected to the bar at a point away from the center near one end, so that the ball will normally hang adjacent the valve-seat 8; but the length of the chain will not permit of the ball reaching the valve-seat 7.

l5 designates a cap covering the top of the chamber and holding the bar 12 in place.

16 is a blow-olf valve in the bottom of the chamber.

The portion of the extension 5 between the chamber and the glass is of sucient internal diameter to admit steam and water to pass the valve 9 when the latter is unseated and drawn into the extension.

In practice with the boiler in use and the glass intact the parts will be in the position shown at the lower or water cock. Upon the IOO breaking of the glass the boiler-pressure will force the ball to its seat 8, as shown in dotted lines. The upper or steam cock is shown with its valve 9 seated, the ball being forced out of the Way by the valve and its stem, and because of the shortness of the chain and the manner in which the latter is hung relatively to the two openings the ball cannot interfere with the seating of thepositively-operated valve. Likewise when this latter valve is retracted into the enlarged portion of extension 5 it is out of the Way of the ball, which is free to be seated by any overpressure from the boiler side,as when the glass is broken. When the pressure is equal, the ball hangs near its seat 8.

The advantages of my invention are apparent. It is impossible for the ball-valves to close any port other than those for which they are intended. The collection of sediment in the chambers cannot affect the balls, and the blow-off may be readily and simply accomplished without hindrance from the balls.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination with the sight-tube having upper and lower connections with a boiler, each connection havinga chamber intermediate its ends, valve-stems extended through said connections and having valves for positively closing the passages between the chamber and boiler, a ball-valve in each chamber, means for suspending the same, said `ate the ends of said extensions having inlet and outlet ports, said valves being designed to close said inlet-ports, and balls suspended within said chambers and designed to close said outlet-ports, substantially as set forth.

' 3. In a water-gage having a gage-glass, extensions connecting the glass with the boiler, chambers in said extensions having inlet and outlet ports, bars in said chambers, caps covering said chambers and holding said bars in place,balls suspended from said bars adjacent said outlet-ports but outof reach of said inletports, and blow-o cocks in said chambers between said ports, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN MCCORMICK.

Witnesses:

E. D. SPERRY, RICHARD Bos'rocK. 

